Thirst - A Ravenloft PbP

Game Master Celestial Healer

The heroes united in their homeland in order to cease the predations of Lord Gilbraith and bring him to justice. The nefarious nobleman has been slaughtering innocents in pursuit of his own immortality. However, his depravity attracted the attention of the Powers of Ravenloft, which transported him and all those with him (including the PCs) to the Demiplane of Dread. Now the heroes continue to seek out the villainous lord, to enforce justice and save any innocent victims he may have with him, including young Lenna, the sister of the ranger Nathaniel. Fulfilling their quest may be the key to escaping Ravenloft as foretold to them by a gypsy fortuneteller, and they hang on to hope that the end of their journey may see them safely home.

This campaign consists of a series of homebrewed adventures set in the land of Ravenloft (staying mostly true to the AD&D 2nd Edition boxed set). The game utilizes the Pathfinder 1st Edition rules. Recruitment is currently closed, but replacement players may be needed as necessary.

New and Replacement Character Guidelines:

Generally speaking, I try to keep the party of the same level. Therefore, characters will be made at the current XP level of the rest of the party. Characters can be created using the wealth by level guidelines. Hit points can either be rolled or assigned using the average die roll (rounded up). 2 traits, 20 point buy.

The party came to Ravenloft from the world of Golarion. They were transported from a keep in Northern Andoran. The following are guidelines for how to integrate characters into the Ravenloft campaign, although other backgrounds are possible:

Option 1. The new character may be from elsewhere in Golarion, having been transported to Ravenloft prior to the rest of the party in an unrelated event. You can determine the specifics of how you came to be in Ravenloft. You have been trapped for a number of years, and are eager for any opportunity to return to Golarion. Even if you hail from the other side of the world, being transported to Andoran with the rest of the PCs (or wherever in Golarion they wind up) sounds better than being stuck in Ravenloft for the rest of your miserable days. You figure you can make your way home from wherever you wind up.

Option 2. You are from some world other than Golarion. You were brought to Ravenloft in some unrelated event years ago. You can determine the specifics of how you came to be in Ravenloft, as well as where you are from. You are eager to escape the Demiplane of Dread. Surely, you would love nothing more than to go home, but this Golarion place sounds better than where you are now.

Option 3. You are native to Ravenloft. In your youth (or perhaps even more recently), you heard stories of places that are different. Perhaps you had a mentor who hailed from another plane (Golarion or elsewhere) or studied them extensively. The stories caught your imagination: there are worlds out there that are not twisted with evil where the land itself does not conspire to torment its denizens. To many, these are nothing but utopian fantasies, but you want to see them for yourself and see what kind of opportunities might be open to you in such a place. The PCs' mission could be your chance to realize a destiny that would be impossible in the place you were born.

NPCs:

Alcien: Deckhand aboard the White Lady.

Andrei: A farmer from rural Falkovnia. He was conscripted into the army of Lord Vlad, but deserted hoping to join his cousin on a farm in Richemulot. He was able to reach the farm, and found work for Yuri there as well.

Argassa: The blind helmswoman of the White Lady.

Binwick: Professor Binwick is a scholar in Mordentshire, an acquaintance of Dr. Savarre.

Boritsi, Ivana: Lady Ivana is the ruler of Borca.

Brenner: An inkeeper in Silbervas, Falkovnia. He is a friend of Tannis and is a valuable ally for any in Falkovnia who resist Lord Vlad.

Breville: A priest from the village of Breden in Northern Andoran, Golarion. Father Breville was concerned about the activity of Lord Gilbraith and sent the PCs to investigate.

Cecile: One of the Sisters of Charity. Sister Cecile hails from Richemulot, and was sent to assist Sister Greta at an infirmary for those with the Laughing Plague. The PCs escorted her back to the hospital in Mortigny, Richemulot, where she is based.

Chickenbone: A mysterious shaman who lives deem in the swamps of Souragne.

Claudette: The leader of the Sisters of Charity in Mortigny, Richemulot.

Darra: A Vistani sorceress from Dementlieu. She was sent by her band to intercept the PCs, and was a helpful ally. The PCs later encountered her and Tannis in Mortigny, Richemulot.

Donzago: A tiny rat-like creature that served as Madame Gustalarde's familiar. He used his magical ability to flee when the PC's felled his mistress.

Drakov, Vlad: Lord of Falkovnia. He rules his domain with an iron fist, employing his army as enforcers. He is notorious for impaling all those who oppose him on a stake.

Fletcher: The reclusive captain of the White Lady.

Gerard de Monte: The famed toymaker of Souragne. Grieving the loss of his daughter, he sought to recreate her as the perfect doll. The dolls were twisted by evil forces and murdered many people in Port d'Elhour, Souragne, including Monsieur de Monte himself. He rose as a ghost, but was restored to rest by the PCs.

Gilbraith: A lord native to Golarion. From his tower in Northern Andoran, Lord Gilbraith sought immortality by attempting to transform himself to a vampire. His actions attracted the attention of the Powers of Ravenloft, and he was transported to the demiplane, along with all those with him. It is believed that he enlisted with the Falkovnian army, then defected and allied with an individual known as Tetslin.

Glastoy: A veteran living in Silbervas, Falkovnia. Formerly in the service of Lord Vlad, he has fallen to heavy drinking and has loose lips when it comes to military information.

Glinik: A gnome bard among the Vistani band in Dementlieu.

Greta: One of the Sisters of Charity. Sister Greta is Borcan, and possesses a short-tempered disposition.

Gustalarde: A wererat witch in the city of Mortigny, Richemulot, matriarch of her clan. Slain by the PCs.

Hailstork, Matthias: A professor of antiquities and passenger aboard the White Lady.

Jacinthe: One of the Sisters of Charity. She is a short-tempered middle aged woman who works at the hospital in Mortigny, Richemulot. The PCs discovered her to be a wererat. She perished in the blast of a fireball cast by an angry ghost.

Katalin Szabo: An unspeakably cruel vampiress and member of the Crimson Court. She gifted Monerre with vampirism in exchange for Harrag's Skull.

Kindry: An elderly Vistani fortuneteller from Dementlieu. Known as "Mother Kindry," she is renowned for the visions she receives when reading her tarot cards.

Korinald: A Vistani from Dementlieu. He leads the band of Vistani which includes Darra, Tannis, Mother Kindry, and Glinik.

Leclerc: A shady fishmonger in Port d'Elhour, Souragne, who agrees to serve as a guide for the PCs. He died of a brain-eating parasite.

Lenna: A girl from the village of Breden in Northern Andoran, Golarion. She was abducted by Lord Gilbraith and fed upon in a vile ritual. When last seen, she showed no signs of life. Sister of Nathaniel Greenfellow.

Magritte: A despairing member of the Sisters of Charity who works with the poor in Port d'Elhour, Souragne. Also the name of a girl who worked at the Gerard de Monte's toy shop.

Margot: A hedge-witch in the village of Tamoire, Dementlieu. She is an unscrupulous hack who sells fake wares and harbors a dislike of gypsies.

Marta: The cook aboard the White Lady.

Milrosk: A general in the army of Lord Vlad in Falkovnia. General Milrosk is believed to be the commander of the regiment in which Gilbraith enlisted. He also corresponded frequently with the Surgeon regarding the Laughing Plague.

Monerre: A necromancer who dwells within the swamps of Souragne. He was turned into a vampire in exchange for giving Harrag's Skull to the Crimson Court. Slain by the PCs.

Nadine: One of the Sisters of Charity. A novice at the hospital in Mortigny, Richemulot.

Navarette, Pauline: Dr. Navarette is an associate of Dr. Savarre's and a wererat. Slain by the PCs.

Pemberton, Cloris: Assistant to professor Hailstork and passenger aboard the White Lady.

Pyotr: A local sheriff who patrols the northern border of Borca.

Raff: Deckhand aboard the White Lady.

Renot: A constable and blacksmith in the village of Tamoire, Dementlieu. He is more reasonable than most of his fellow villagers when it comes to outsiders.

Savarre: Dr. Jean-Eric Savarre is a physician, vampire hunter, and expert on the occult. He resides in Mortigny, Richemulot.

Sergei: The manager of a carnival set up in northern Borca. He was heavily influenced by Spindle in spreading the Laughing Plague. (Other carneys include Nik, Oleg, Zaria, and Zorya; all slain.) After being brought to the hospital in Mortigny, he was infected with lycanthropy and became a wererat.

Sevrin: A soldier from the village of Breden in Northern Andoran. He was in the employ of Lord Gilbraith and was brought into Ravenloft at the same time as his master. Fed upon by vampires and bearing witness to terrible horrors, he lost his mind and was confined to the hospital in Mortigny. He was found slain, apparently by his own hand.

Spindle: A fey being directly responsible for the Laughing Plague. Slain by the PCs.

Surgeon: An interrogation expert in the service of Lord Vlad in Falkovnia. Based in Silbervas, she was a vivisectionist, medical researcher, and torture expert in the army of Lord Vlad. She was also investigating the matter of the Laughing Plague. Slain by the PCs.

Swift, Luther: First Mate of the White Lady.

Tannis: A Vistani from Dementlieu. He is betrothed to Darra. He ran to Richemulot in pursuit of his cousin who went missing in Invidia.

Tetslin: A scheming, aged vampire who is evidently working with Lord Gilbraith. A member of the Crimson Court, he is part of an alliance with certain wererats in Richemulot with the supposed goal of invading Falcovnia. He is believed to have instigated the Laughing Plague, which may hinder any invasion efforts.

Yuri: A young carney in Borca who aided the PCs. He found work on Andrei's cousin's farm in Richemulot.

The fate of the PCs:

'Kani: Devoured from the inside out by a swarm of spiders while traversing the Mists.

Belanos Grandi: Impaled on a stake by soldiers loyal to Vlad Drakov.

Erfan Treefriend: Driven to madness following the encounter with the fey creature Spindle. He remains in the asylum in Mortigny, Richemulot.

Tiffany Takorous: Haunted by increasingly disturbing visions, she resides in the care of the Sisters of Charity in Mortigny.

Urdrin Ironhaft: He guards and helps the Sisters of Charity in Mortigny.

Nathaniel Greenfellow: Dormant - traveling from Souragne.

Anrzej Plaman: Dormant - traveling from Souragne. Andrzej is known to be infected with wererat lycanthropy.

Eliva Smith: Dormant - traveling from Souragne.

Angalia: Dormant - traveling from Souragne.

Domain information:

Arkandale: The PCs know little regarding this domain west of Richemulot, other than that werewolves prowl at night.

Borca: A dreary, oppressed land ruled by Lady Ivana Boritsi. It lies immediately south of Falkovnia. The PCs investigated a carnival that was set up near the northern village of Tillich; it turned out to be the source of the Laughing Plague.

Dementlieu: A coastal domain northwest of Falkovnia. This is where the PCs first landed in Ravenloft and encountered a band of helpful Vistani.

Dorvinia: A land east of Borca. The Crimson Court operate both here and in Borca.

Falkovnia: A landlocked domain rulled by the ironfisted Lord Vlad Drakov. The PCs ran afoul of some soldiers and slew a torture expert known as the Surgeon.

Invidia: The PCs know little regarding this domain south of Richemulot, other than that it is considered a dangerous place for Vistani to travel.

Mordent: A land northwest of Borca. Dr. Savarre's colleague Professor Binwick resides in Mordentshire.

Richemulot: A domain northwest of Borca. Within Richemulot, the sprawling, crumbling city of Mortigny contains the large hospital run by the Sisters of Charity. The realm is plagued by wererats.

Souragne: A land of endless, festering swamps. The land is dominated by the city of Port d'Elhour, but its economic engine is the plantation system, worked by countless oppressed slaves.

The Artifacts:

The PCs have uncovered a dark plot concocted by the Crimson Court and their allies. A variety of powerful artifacts are being sought out by these forces. What follows is the list the PCs have identified, and any notes regarding their known locations.

Harrag's Skull - This was said to be in the possession of the necromancer Monerre. Upon investigation, the PCs found correspondence revealing that Monerre had traded it to Katalin Szabo of the Crimson Court in exchange for the dark gift of vampirism.

The Bleak Rose - The PCs have no information regarding this item.

Saran's Fang - This is the name of a sword in the possession of Lord Vlad Drakov of Falkovnia.

The Yellow Jade - The location of this item is unknown, but Professor Hailstork noted that the item is said to bring ill fortune and was lost in the Sea of Sorrows many years ago.

The Blightstaff - The PCs have no information regarding this item.

The Eternal Shroud - The PCs have no information regarding this item.

Ravenloft rules:

The Dark Powers interfere with the normal working of certain spells, items, and class abilities.

Alignment detection of any sort does not function there, nor do spells or effects intended to detect or discern the undead from the living. Similarly, spells and effects intended to detect the true nature of lycanthropes or other shapeshifters will uniformly fail. The PCs must rely on their mundane senses and intuition to discern friend from foe in this inhospitable realm.

Teleportation magic does not function between domains, but such effects may work within a domain unless the Powers decide to interfere. Teleportation out of Ravenloft is not possible, including spells and effects involving planar travel. Access to the Ethereal Plane is possible, but perilous, and in any event will not permit individuals to travel between domains or out of Ravenloft.

The Demiplane of Dread may interfere with certain other types of magic, including dreams, certain divinations, restoring the dead to life, and others.

Evil acts may attract the attention of Dark Powers. Over time, a proclivity for evil acts could lead to a character succumbing to the embrace of the Dark Powers. If a PC reaches a point where they are fully embraced by the Dark Powers, they will become an NPC.

Infection with lycanthropy or vampirism is not treatable with simple spells. These, along with other dark curses, require elaborate rituals to overcome. A PC who fully transforms into a lycanthrope or vampire will generally become an NPC until and unless the curse is removed.